Konservatives will have to “get local” to find victories in 2008

Being inkognito has it advantages. During my extended time away from the blog I was able to travel the state and get a better grasp of what is on the hearts and mind of Iowa’s konservative activists. I wish I kould kome back here and tell you how fired up they were about the ’08 elections but I kan’t. Now that doesn’t mean that we are hopeless when it komes to 2008 in Iowa.

Konsider the following: The words “great depression” adequately described the konservative activist following the 2006 general elections. Yet more Iowans voted in the Republican kaucuses than ever before. And while we are having a little kaucus talk, I must say I absolutely nailed my 2007 Breakout Kandidate of the year. I was Huckabee when Huckabee wasn’t kool! Remember kids; don’t ever doubt the head klown.

It would be wise for Republican kandidates to look to how Huckabee and Romney motivated their supporters, however it is always easier said than done. There is hope when it komes to local races, especially those folks running for the State House. Word on the street is that the Republicans have recruited well and having good kandidates is half the battle when it komes to legislative races.

The problem for most konservatives isn’t the battle for kontrol of the Iowa House, or even the White House, it’s the lack of enthusiasm for the kandidates running against Tom Harkin. Sure Harkin has sent some solid Iowa kandidates into retirement (Jespen, Tauke, Lightfoot, and Ganske), but Iowa Republicans have always been willing to take the fight to Harkin. So while many konservatives are pleased not to send Kongressman King or Kongressman Latham into the lions den, they less than excited about their three choices in the June 3rd Primary.

Steve Rathje has been running for the longest of the three candidates. Rathje has found it difficult to raise money and to organize. His extended time kampaigning has made him polished on the stump but many folks are skeptical of him after hearing him.

George Eichhorn is a former state legislator from north central Iowa. Eichhorn is the known quantity in the race. On one hand people like to have some sort of idea on how a person would vote, so Eichhorn has a small advantage there. On the other hand people don’t like the fact that Eichhorn was defeated in 2006 in his State House campaign.

Christopher Reed is another candidate from Cedar Rapids who looks to be in the mold of Bill Salier. Now before you get too excited Salier was “on duty” or running aggressively for a long time before he was accepted by the grassroots activists in 2002. Reed reminds people of Salier, but time is the main factor working against him. Also it is important to note that many Konservative Politicos in the state have settled on Reed as their choice in the primary.

Will there be a Krusty endorsement? I don’t know yet, I’m still waiting for a candidate to earn my and your vote.

Oh and by the way, Barry Obama is the Democrat nominee. He killed Clinton in North Carolina and she just was able to hang on. The Krusty forecast calls for Super Delegates to swarm to Barry Obama in the near future, and Clinton will even see some of here begin to flake. The Democrats will have some scars to heal from their primary battle, but as lone as they have a nominee by the end of the month they will be able to unite. McCain has to hit a home run when selecting his VP, and even then it will be a difficult campaign.